Light and Dark
by Altaria Artanis
Summary: She is an assassin, a figure of the night. Her hunter is just as deadly, and highly powerful. Who will win this life and death struggle?
1. Chapter 1

**Note!! **This is a Roleplay, written by Moriarwen and I. So we switch off writing parts (every other one), that meansI have no clue what will happen in the next part and neither does she. Just so you know that we each wrote half, I didn't write the whole thing. So credit Moriarwen too!

Disclaimer: Neither of us owns lord of the rings, that is, unless Mori has been keepin a really big secret from me...

This story takes place in the Silmarillion just soyou know.

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**Part one**

It was night, the moon's shining face smiled down at the peaceful valley; stars twinkled above in deep blue sky. But it was about to be anything but peaceful. Lurking at the edge of the forest, a figure looked up to the brilliant sky. The starlight caught in her brown eyes before she turned away. Silently, she crept up to the large house in the center of the valley, her black clothing and concealing cloak making her melt into the shadows. When she reached the stately building she picked the lock and slipped inside. She crept down the main hall, staying on the wall and in the shadows. She was a figure of the night. A killer. The house was silent, empty. But she didn't mind. It made her job that much easier. Abruptly turning left, she smiled when she saw the flickering light of a candle under the door frame. She examined the door with a critical eye. She wouldn't be able to open it silently; she knew that from years of experience. It was too large to break through, so that left guile, trickery. It was something she excelled at. There was a ledge above the door, one that she could easily reach if she jumped. She knocked on the door, once more, then once again. When she heard the scraping of a chair on wood floor with her sensitive ears she leapt up, grabbing the ledge and pulling herself with her hands. If anyone had seen it they certainly would have deemed it impressive, she had a sinuous grace and had pulled herself up without strain. Silently she arranged herself like a cat, waiting for the door to open. Light flooded the hallway and a man stepped out. The figure grabbed the ledge and swung into the room, landing silently, with a cat-like grace. She concealed herself in the heavy draperies behind the desk. Seeing no one, the man shrugged and went back in. Seating himself at his large oak desk, the man buried his nose in a leather bound book. Slipping out of the draperies, the figure drew her twin Sai blades. In one swift movement she beheaded him. He didn't even have a chance to scream. She calmly wiped her blades on his tunic, cleaning them of blood. Without a sound she sheathed them and opened the window, jumping out and landing with the softest of thumps. She brushed her long black hair out of her face before disappearing into the night, again a figure of the night.

And twenty miles away a woman snapped out of her meditation. _So my little assassin, you think you can kill again and escape me? It isn't so easy._ In a blink of her green eyes, the woman morphed into an eagle. With her powerful wings she launched into the air, flying swiftly into the night, her viridian eyes scanning the ground far below. She was on the hunt. But the thing that made her different from other birds of prey at that moment: she was hunting assassin.

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**Part two**

The assassin donned her hood and with a swish of her cloak, disappeared into the trees, not knowing that she was being hunted.

Her training taught her to stay out of sight, so she searched for somewhere to hide. There were several places that were known to her kind, one just a few miles north from her current position.

She, like all the Morqua - Maica before her, did not run across open ground, she ran rapidly from tree to tree, making her difficult to spot, it also took longer and was more exhaustive; though this did not bother her.

The eagle, Calanthia,glided gracefully over the forest, searching for her prey. She was on a scouting mission. Gil-Galad had asked of her that she find the assassin, find who ever it is who is responsible for the death of so many, and bring them to him, alive if possible, dead if necessary.

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The killer was nearing the hideout, a small cave that had remained hidden, only the Morqua-Maica knew of its existence, and it had been used by them for centuries. One of them leaves supplies; just one of the dwindling number was usually there at any one time, so not many were required. The woman found the entrance, an old dead tree that had long stood hollow. The assassin climbed the tree to the top, grateful that the entrance was not visible from the air, the dense foliage from the living trees covered it. Ironic it seemed that the living would hide the bringers of death.

She lowered herself into the tree through the large hole at the top.

The inside had been notched, so that it would be easy for the Morqua Maicas to climb through the shaft, down to the spacious cave inside, where there were clean blankets, and plentiful non perishable sustenance, that would last until one of them needed it and last them for as long as required.

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Well there it is! the first two parts, next two coming...I honestly don't know when. Not too long from now! 

**Remember: **MORIARWEN WROTE HALF!!!  
Can you guess which half? That would be cool.


	2. Chapter 2

HI EVERYONE!! It's 2:30 AM here right now, I'm bored and tired, bu at the same time not bored and not tired. Does that ever happen to you?

**Moriarwen wrote half!!! Don't forget her!! she wrote a part,I wrote a part!!**

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, but i think Moriarwen and I share Calanthia/Foinien. What do you think Mori?

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**Part three**

Calanthia sighed inwardly and touched down on a tree limb. Her prey was near, she could feel it. She had established a weak bond with her once when she had nearly caught the assassin, but it was not strong enough to find directly. She had been hunting the Morqua-Maica warrior for ten years now. And each time another was killed she felt guilty. But the cunning assassin evaded her every time. Gliding down from the branch, Calanthia thought of how she would try to find her. When she alighted she shifted her weight from foot to foot, her clawed feet, while excellent for snaring rabbits, were ridiculously hard to walk on. With a final ruffle ofher light brown feathers, Calanthia returned to her natural form. She was an elf, with chestnut brown hair and deep green eyes. Leaning back against a dead and hollow tree Calanthia thought of her charge, the one she was to find and bring to justice. Her name was Foinien and she was a member of the dwindling clan of the Morqua-Maica. They were elven, a band of Noldor that had rebelled against the light. They were assassins, and, although Calanthia hated to admit it, they were good at what they did. Foinien was one of the best, and was in position to become their leader, if their current leader and his secondin command died. She was deadly, excelling in most forms of weaponry. She had been trained from birth; they all had, to kill like a machine, to be emotionless. And to be silent. Silent. Calanthia shook her head and closed her eyes, feeling along the strand that bound her and the assassin. She was near; she could feel her life force pulsing at the other end. Drawing closer to it, Calanthia sent a shock of lightning down it, causing her to jump. With a suppressed smile, Calanthia changed into an all black panther. She was sleek, powerful, charged. And she was ready to go.

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Foinien knew little of the bond between her and the magical elf nearby; only that she could not travel it or destroy it. She knew it was there, and she knew it made her vulnerable. But she did not know that the sorceress could send her own elemental powers down it. When Calanthia had sent a little bolt of lightning down into her very being, Foinien jerked and trembled uncontrollably. White pain lanced through her body. But she was no stranger to pain. Like a true Morqua-Maica, she bit her lip and bore it, hoping it would end. And it did. But know her hide-out was nearly discovered, and the elf was to close for Foinien's liking. Drawing her Sai blades, Foinien crept up the tunnel and carefully, quietly, slipped out of the tree, taking off at a silent run through the forest.

And a panther followed, just as silently, just as quickly, planning how she would capture this assassin. _A tornado would do nicely._ She thought to herself.

**

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Part four **

Calanthia had always marveled at the way Foinien took every precaution when moving, she reminded her strongly as a cat, in the way she investigated every angle before she moved forward, after every tree. Foinien stopped suddenly and glanced round, as though she had seen something. Calanthia was worried that she might be spotted by the assassin, and that she would have to catch her earlier than planned, for worry that she might loose her again.For the moment, there was no such need, the woman hadn't spotted her.

As Calanthia followed her through the trees, she thought back to when she had almost caught her prey.

_**o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o**_

"Do what you may, this killer must be stopped!" The Lord Gil-Galad had exclaimed to Calanthia. The female assassin had just killed one of his council, and he feared who would be next.

"Yes Milord. Might I ask something first?" Calanthia asked him.

"Yes Calanthia, what is it?"

"Do you want her alive?" Calanthia asked him.

Lord Gil - Galad considered this, it was not in their custom to condemn anyone to their deaths, and they had never had the chance to make this decision involving the Morqua - Maica, they never got the chance; on the very rare occasion that they captured one of the dreaded assassins, they had always taken their own lives before they could even be questioned. This was different, serial murder, not just one incident.

After a while of pensive thought, the elven Lord made his decision.

"Yes, I require the assassin to be alive, though it is not of the highest priority." He said coldly.

"I understand." She responded quietly, before leaving to start her hunt.

……………………………………………………………………………………………..

It had taken Calanthia a surprisingly long time to find even the slightest trace of Foinien, and she had stumbled upon her by accident, Calanthia had rested in a tree, the dense branches providing her with shelter, and protection; Calanthia had been watching the ground idly, the odd wild rabbit that happened past, or the occasional bird that landed in her tree, about to go into elven sleep, she thought at first what she saw was just a shadow.

Directly beneath her, standing with her back against the tree trunk, was her prey; whom she had been hunting without result for 11 months.

It was Foinien, clothed all in black, she had even covered her face partially, her black hair tied back away from her face completed her apparel, Morqua Maica indeed, translated as the Black Blades in the common tongue.

At first, Calanthia had to stop herself from crying out in surprise, which would alert the woman below her of her presence, instead, she tried to formulate a way of capturing her before she moved on, Calanthia did not know how long Foinien had been stood there.

Deciding that she would some how render her unconscious before sending for help, Calanthia, being too close to morph into an animal, was going to withdraw her sword to use the hilt to hit her on the head with, as soon as she started to draw the blade, Foinien reacted to the sound.

Calanthia had thought that she was quiet enough not to alert the assassin, she underestimated Foinien greatly.

Foinien looked up to the location of the sound, immediately seeing Calanthia. A look of surprise was written on her face when their eyes connected, if only for a brief moment, but to them seemed an eternity.

This was the moment that the bond was forged between them, that was to betray Foinien at every opportunity.

Calanthia could only stare in shock as Foinien disappeared into the forest.

_**o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o**_

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Ok, the section that is between all the '**_o0o0o0o_**'s is flashback, just in case you didn't realize. Where there are '.......' it is the passage of time within a flashback. Everyone get that? OK then! 

**REMEMBER: Moriarwen wrote half! We each write one part.  
**Can you guess which one of us wrote which part?


	3. Chapter 3

Hello everyone! It's time for chapter 3! I would expect a new chapter every three days or so, I'l try to skip to the schedule.

REMEMBER! Moriarwen wrote half!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A/N: The text inside these: oo0o0o0o0o0o0o0, is a flashback. **

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**

Part five

Calanthia brought her thoughts back to the present as she padded over the soft ground after the assassin. She loved being a cat, she felt so powerful and graceful. After being a large cat, she felt inadequate, even in her natural form as an elf. Running across the forest floor, Calanthia waited for a clearing of some sort, where she could change back to an elf and blast Foinien with some raw elemental power. She couldn't do that as a cat, and she didn't want to harm any other creatures that may be nearby. Storms could be very destructive; particularly ones that Calanthia conjured up. She wasn't called Storm Maiden for nothing.

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Foinien's well honed battle senses were buzzing with feelings of danger, but she didn't hear anything, or see anything, and she was careful to avoid being seen. But her instincts had never led her wrong. Her naturally strong senses came from being an elf, but they had been honed to an almost ridiculous power by the Morqua-Maica training. Alarm bells ringing in the back of her head told her to avoid the large clearing ahead, even skirting around the edges, even though that clearing was the fastest route to another concealed cave. Instead, she plunged deeper into the forest, dodging large trees and brambles as even the moon was blocked out.

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Calanthia cursed silently when Foinien turned from the clearing and into the deep, deep woods. Deciding that a panther shape was no longer prudent, she turned into a small owl, fast and able to fly under the canopies without losing the assassin. She would contact other birds in this form, they would help. She hooted, alerting other owls to the intruder. Maybe they could run her back to the clearing. But maybe not.

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Foinien heard the hooting of an owl and stopped, listening intently. She could usually tell if it was a real animal or a human imitation of one. One was safe, the other led to danger. After a moment she decided that it was indeed a real owl, and when several more answered she thought it was unusual, but nothing special. But soon there were sparrows, jays, robins....they shouldn't even be awake. Now Foinien was suspicious. They all sounded real, they all were real, but who could wake them all and rally them together like that? The elf who was hunting her? Did she have that power? Foinien thought back to all that she knew about the elf with surprising powers.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Foinien had blown off the first few rumors that she had heard about there being a new person on her trail. It didn't matter, they would never catch her. But when she had heard more, even from the head of her order, she had thought fleetingly about it before, once again, blowing it off. No one else had succeeded in catching her, why should she? The answer was simple: the others didn't have magic. She did. The first time Foinien had seen her, she had established a weak link between them. When Foinien ran off, the first place she went was to her mentor, Fenume, Fire-Dragon in the Common tongue, had told her much about her pursuer.

"Ah my little student. Have you decided to quit ignoring my warnings?" Fenume asked his back to her. He was staring out the window, staring at the gray foggy day.

"Tell me about her." Foinien said, not answering the question. This of course was what Fenume wanted. He was devious, full of guile, tricky. He had a black heart and a steel-trap mind, which, when put with a strong sword arm, made him extremely deadly.

"She is Calanthia Raumovendi." Fenume stopped abruptly, and Foinien knew what he wanted.

"Storm Maiden? Why storm maiden?" Foinien asked, biting the obvious hook. Fenume was the only person she would play these games with, and that was only because she greatly admired him. If Morqua-Maica could love, she would love him as a father.

"She controls the storm" Fenume said, still not turning to face her. "She is immensely powerful. She could open up the earth beneath your very feet and close the gap again, leaving you trapped underground. She could call up the waves, send them crashing onto the shore only to drag you back in and not let you up. She could send bolts of lighting out of her hands; she could pull lava from the very earth." Fenume spun to face his student finally, placing his hands on the desk that was between them and bringing his face close to hers. "She could kill you in a million ways, ways that we cannot stop. She could make it rain for weeks straight, flooding, killing, sweeping away. And she is after you." Fenume's dark eyes flashed a warning to his student. "She must be annihilated. Before she annihilates you."

"I shall see to it." Foinien answered in an offhand manner.

"No you shall not!" Fenume thundered. "She is on the lookout for you, has been searching for you, and knows what you look like! I shall send a lesser warrior after her. I cannot lose on of my best." Fenume drew away, turning to face away from her and look out the window again.

"I appreciate your concern, but I can handle this myself." Foinien said coolly.

"The mater is closed for discussion." Fenume responded. "Now, I have another assignment for you. It is a Numenorean, and he is rising to power too quickly for someone's liking."

"Tell me more." Foinien said, tilting her head to one side, a cruel smile on her face.

"He will be well protected, but I think you are up to it. He lives....."

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Calanthia settled on a dead tree and changed back to an elf. Foinien was far away. Closing her eyes, Calanthia made her hand into a fist. Opening it slowly, a wisp of fog drifted out. It grew, soon enveloping her area. She sent it far and wide, dispersing it slightly so that the birds could see. Changing back into an owl, Calanthia launched into the air again. Foinien would be hard-pressed to escape her in a fog.

**

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**

**Part six**

As the mist had left Calanthia's hand, it grew and spread, soon the whole area was submerged in the damp fog.

Calanthia scanned the ground, hoping that she hadn't left it too long, and that Foinien had escaped. The elf didn't want to hunt down her prey _again._

The assassin, noticing the cold, wet fog that seemed to envelope around her, thought it was best to seek shelter, some fog was like a fine drizzle, soaking her through. The problem being that the next nearest safe place was miles away, and Foinien was unsure of how safe it was to double back. She felt the presence of the storm maiden, but how close or how far she was from her, Foinien couldn't tell.

She didn't know that Calanthia was now following her closely, waiting for the best opportunity to strike.

The young male assassin, whom had been set the mission of killing Calanthia, had been following her for three days, he was less experienced than most of the Morqua Maica; having only ever been sent to kill one person.

His mission had gone horribly wrong.

o00o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0oo0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Calanthia had discovered her follower and alerted others, together they had surrounded him. There was a bloody fight, the elf chose to die fighting rather than be captured, he took several elves with him as he went.  
When they had finally brought him down, Calanthia looked sadly at the dead elf, one of his gloves had come off during the fighting, and Calanthia saw for the first time; the mark of the Morqua Maica. A black tattoo on the inside of the wrist, in the shape of the outline of a blade.  
"I wonder why he was sent after me." Calanthia said to one of the elves that had come to her aid. She hadn't expected a reply.

"Because you are hunting Foinien, they know and they have marked you for death." The elf said, surprising the elleth.

The name Foinien was dreaded amongst the elves who knew of the Morqua Maica, she was a living legend.

"An assassin was sent after me because I am hunting an assassin? Why didn't Foinien herself come after me?" She asked him.

"How am I to understand the mind of a Morqua Maica?" He said, shrugging.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0oo0o

Foinien halted; she climbed a nearby tree silently and settled in between the braches, choosing her place to shelter from the rain.

Calanthia saw her chance...

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Oooh, suspensful right?

MORIARWEN WROTE HALF!!  
Can you guess which part she wrote and whoch part I wrote?

Until the next chapter!


	4. Chapter 4

Hello again! Only 20 days until Christmas!!  
A/N--sabriel sister of alanna: calanthia is based loosely on Daine yes, but I made calanthia a tad more powerful.

-Thanks to everyone who reviewed, it's appreciated!-

MORIARWEN WROTE HALF!!!!

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**Part seven**

_To kill the tree, or not? She is unaware of my presence, but I can pinpoint her exact location. I could fry her in an instant. But she must be alive...by the Valar, how do I go about doing this? I have a perfect shot, no matter what I wish to throw at her, or do to her, but it would most likely kill her. She will not talk anyway, even if I were to bring her back alive she would probably commit suicide at the first opportunity. Morqua-Maica never tell their secrets. How can one be so cruel, so heartless? I, and I am proud to admit it, value life. I may not kill her even if I had the chance. She would kill me in the blink of an eye, and probably be happy about it! I couldn't kill another elf in cold blood. How do I go about getting her down from that tree, without her escaping? I would need a cage of some sort, something that she couldn't break...I don't know of anything it would be in my power to make. Do I have time? Where are the birds? They will watch. And i have the fog, she will not go anywhere in the fog...I could stake her out, make her wait in the cold and rain in the tree, but I can't gamble like that! It could mean losing her and I am not in the mood of another hunt! Right here, right where I stand, I could send a strong bolt of lightning, hit her directly, and kill her. I could, but would I? Can I even bring myself to kill her? I need something that would hurt her and constrain her but not kill her...but my powers are instantaneous, deadly, dangerous, and extremely strong, but nothing to hold someone. Maybe I could make a net out of lightning. That is pure energy, raw, elemental, power; it would hold her...if I could get it to stay that long. And if she didn't touch it, instantly channeling it through her body instead of my pre-set patterns. By the Valar. I just need to knock her out. What to do? I have a chance, but I cannot take the chance, for fear I kill her. What do I do?_

Calanthia was getting frustrated. That could have severe consequences. She discovered her powers when another elf had made her angry, she had yelled and the earth had started to shake....

**o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o**flashback**o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o**

"Durion you orc! What don't you understand?"

"Calanthia, it is you who doesn't understand! It is you was wrong, not I!"

"Yes, and Morgorth was good!" Calanthia snapped. She had been kneeling of the ground, and she buried her hands in the grass, her fingers loving the feel of the cool dirt.

"You should not say his name!"

"Why must you always scold me? I am not always wrong!" Calanthia had closed her eyes, trying to let go of her anger. She tried to push it down into the earth, because the earth could deal with it.

"I don't always scold you! What is that? The earth, it's rumbling, shaking, we have to get out of here!" The ground was literally shaking, the earth was heaving up, making hills where there had been none.

Calanthia's anger was draining, she felt wonderful. "I'm not leaving, I like it here!"

"Ai Elbereth!" The ground split, opening a gaping chasm where Durion had been. It swallowed up several houses and trees, flowers, they all fell in. And Calanthia felt peaceful. She removed her hands from the grass and dusted them off, and the crack closed again, leaving everything as it had been. Except for the missing houses of course.

**o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o**end flashback**o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o**

Calanthia had since then learned to control her anger, but not after several more outbursts. She had created a storm one day, lightning was flashing all around her; when she had been near the ocean she had created a hurricane, destroying much of the gray havens; a large section of Mirkwood had been burned...it went on and on. She had a temper that should not be messed with, and enough power to make you downright stupid if you do.

Calanthia flicked her wrists in an aggravated gesture and, to her horror, two bolts of lightning streamed from her fingertips, hitting the branch above Foinien.

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**Part eight**

As the lighting caught the branches, they immediately set alight; Foinien, shaken awoke by the sudden fire almost fell out of the tree, catching a branch on her way down. As she dangled by one arm she looked down and saw her foe, Calanthia stood directly beneath, with sword drawn.

As more and more of the tree succumbed to the flames, Foinien and Calanthia were both faced with impossible dilemmas....

Calanthia may have to face battle with Foinien, not knowing what her actual close combat skills were; she was not too pleased with the thought of testing them; especially since close combat was not her own personal forte.

Foinien was following a similar thought pattern, she didn't want to let go of her branch. Firstly because if she did then she would land within close proximity to her enemy, she would have to fight her, secrecy was what she relied upon. Though Foinien was skilled with her Sai blades, she had only fought with them against a sword a small handful of times; fighting Sai against a sword is incredibly difficult. If she remained holding on to the burning tree eventually the branch would itself burn, and she would have to let go.

The choice was made for her soon enough, the wind caught the flames and blew them into Foinien, she let go of the branch with a cry of shock and fell to the ground, her left arm badly burnt.

Calanthia used this moment to prepare herself for the battle that would surely follow, she raised her sword and took a deep breath.

Foinien picked her self up off the ground and withdrew the blades from the belt around her waist; she turned to face her enemy, with her weapons in position.

Calanthia took a step closer to Foinien and then thrust her sword through the air towards Foinien, the trouble was that she didn't want to kill her, just capture her.

Foinien whipped both her blades round, blocking the sword stroke; she then flicked up her wrists with all her strength, sending the sword in the opposite direction.

Quick as a flash, Calanthia removed a dagger from her person and put it at Foinien's throat; at the same time Foinien had put her right Sai to Calanthia's.

They stood there, deadlocked. Until something very unexpected happened.

Durion appeared from between the trees, upon seeing the situation, stepped forward and grasped Foinien's left arm and bent it backward, dragging her to him so that if she tried to struggle it would break.

As her arm was burnt to a strong degree, this caused a pain so strong that for all her Morqua Maica training, she couldn't suppress a scream.

Calanthia, now free from the dead lock was so shocked by Durion's appearance that she struggled to find her words.

"Durion! Why? How?!" She stuttered.

"How did I find you? I just followed the trail of natural disasters that seem to follow you everywhere, your little fire here," he said gesturing to the burning tree, "was the perfect beacon." he said calmly, ignoring the faintly struggling assassin in his grasp.

"Why have you come here? I was doing just fine!" Calanthia stormed, furious that Durion had intervened.

"Not from where I am standing, you have been hunting this little miss for 10 years and to no avail." He said, mocking her. "Lord Gil-Galad thought you might appreciate a little help."

Foinien paused her struggling then_ so it was _**_him_**_ who sent the Storm Maiden after me!_ She thought to herself.

"He will be most pleased when I bring in little Foinien here, what a thing to be remembered for; the elf that caught Foinien, the most dreaded assassin ever to stalk the face of the earth!" He whispered to himself.

Foinien heard however, and it was at this point that she chose to play her trump card, in one movement, she pulled herself forward enough to kick him in his nether-regions.

Durion bent over double and howled in pain, Foinien slipped from his grasp and fled into the night, even before Calanthia had the chance to register what had just happened, she had evaded her again.

Calanthia ran after her, but before long she realized that there were no tracks to follow, Morqua Maica do not leave them. Knowing that she would have to find her anew, she returned back heavy hearted to Durion.

"It seems you underestimated that Morqua Maica greatly." She said to a very watery eyed elf.

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REMEMBER!! Moriarwen wrote half!!No one has guessed who writes what part yet either. (Hint! One fo us always writes odds, the other always writes evens. We don't change.) 

Neither of us own anything, and I'll update again Tuesday! How's that sound?


	5. Chapter 5

Hello again, my puny-minded, dog-faced opponents. I'm kidding, I'm kidding! I just watched Cats and Dogs (excellent movie btw) and that's what Mr.Tinkles, the evil cat who wants to take over the world says.

NO I do not want to take over the world, NO I am not a cat, NO you are not my opponents, NO my name is NOT Mr.Tinkles (Praise the Valar for that!)

Disclaimer: I don't own it, and neither does Moriarwen (I'm assuming, talk to her if you must know).

A/N: MORIARWEN WROTE HALF!!! She wrote one part and I wrote the other! Can you guess who wrote which part? (This may take a bit of research, but you may be able to guess if you compare it to our other positively wonderful peices of writing. OK, shameless ego-bosting over.)

Why don't the lines work????? Grrr....

**Part nine**

Durion didn't respond. He took a deep breath before straightening, his face still twisted in a grimace of pain. "You let her escape." Calanthia said dangerously.

"It isn't my fault, you could have hit her with the lightning instead of the tree, but you are so soft hearted, so weak, that you couldn't." Calanthia trembled with rage at his statement. "Don't get upset Lady Calanthia, we wouldn't want another earthquake would we? I mean, you can only kill your parents once."

Calanthia lifted her hand from her side, so it was facing palm up, and a ball of fire formed in it. "What did you say?"

"Only the truth Calanthia. I only lived because when you closed the chasm I was beside a tree, which left some space open. Your parents were sucked into the heat of the earth, they were burned to death. You should really learn to control yourself." Calanthia lifted her other hand in the same fashion as the first, a crackling, snapping, ball of lightning appeared in it, together it and the fire gave the forest around them an eerie glow. She was shaking uncontrollably, from grief, from rage, from guilt. "It is your fault that they died, it is your fault that your little sister died, it is your fault that your friends died. All because you got a little angry and couldn't control yourself. I am sure that they are all loathing you from the halls of Mandos."

"No!!" Calanthia screamed, hurling the fire and lightning at the elf before her. "It isn't true! It isn't true!" Calanthia hurled bolt after bolt of lightning, the fire from the tree flowed from the branches to Durion's dead and charred body. Cold wind whipped through the forest, ice sheets formed on everything, only to be melted from the heat of the raging inferno. "No!" the earth rumbled and shook, splitting and cracking. "No!" Molten rock flowed out of the cracks, some of it exploding forth with immense force, all of it in shades of burning red and orange. The wind twisted into a swirling vortex, uprooting trees, sending bushes flying into the air. Calanthia stood in the center of it all, the explosions of lava, the raging fire, the lightning striking the ground beside her, the tornado whirling around her. And she cried.

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Foinien heard screams and the cracking of fire and booms of thunder and lighting. She turned to look back and was shocked by what she saw. Smoke, flame, eruptions of lava, lightning, small, twisting tornadoes, ice...it was an elemental hell. She turned and ran for her life, feeling a new emotion, something she had never felt before. It was fear.

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Drained and exhausted, Calanthia collapsed on the ground, the flames around her slowing, then stopping, the winds dispersing and dying, the lava flowing back into the ground or freezing in the air where the ice had taken hold, the lightning clearing out...and it started to rain. Because Calanthia was crying. She cried herself into a fitful seep, forgetting the assassin.

**Part ten**

Foinien had run and run, having lost her Sai blades when that male elf had held her, weaving between the trees, her cloak waving behind her she didn't stop running until she made it to the next hiding place.

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Calanthia just stayed where she was, sobbing quietly to herself, amongst the destruction done by her own hand, desolate, thinking of Durion's words, what he had said about her family, they had died because of her, her friends, her home. Everything she had had been destroyed by her own lack of self control. That was a very long time ago, she had learnt to control herself better since then, but the memories would follow her everywhere, if something scratched Calanthia's outer shell, they would surface.

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Foinien, after an hour of sprinting reached her destination, the mountain spring. This was a hard and dangerous place to get into, the entrance involved swimming down underwater. Foinien took a deep breath and dived in, swimming along the current in the freezing water, it soothed her burning arm; she swam as fast as she could, so that she would make it to the other side, where the deep stream flowed into the mountain, reappearing again in a large cave matrix.

She only just made it, as far as she had heard, some of the Morqua Maica in the past hadn't and they had gone to their watery graves. Foinien surfaced in the gloomy cave, lit by one beam of light that came from the hole in the mountain side.

She found the supplies that had been left; they had arrived the long way, through the large network of caves that took you to the far entrance, more than five miles away.

This was a place that only the most desperate Morqua Maica used, and it was not used that often.

Foinien lit a fire and eat some of the dried fruit and berries that were there. She peeled off her outer shirt leaving her in a simple black vest, surveying her arm she saw that the skin was badly damaged, it was crinkly, and where the elf had grabbed her the skin had come off. She winced as she washed it with the stream water, and then bound it with some fabric torn from her cloak.

_There is nothing for it; I shall have to return home._ She thought to herself. _I have no blades and this had better be seen to by one of the healers._ She was glad that it wouldn't scar, that was a privilege that was given to the elves.

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Calanthia remained where she was sat, when she finally looked up, her tear stained eyes spotted something gleaming in the mud, a lost Sai blade.

**Grrr.....Why in the name of the Valar do the lines have to not work? THIS IS RIDICULOUS!  
And I am getting worked up over nothing!**

**Oh well. Maybe they will be up and running soon.**

**And I shall close this (hopefully) entertaining little part with ne last note-  
MORIARWEN WROTE HALF!**

**ttyl!**


	6. Chapter 6

Hello everyone! This is Lady Altaria, adn I can safely say that i don't own LotR andI don't think Moriarwen (who wrote half of this) does either!

MORIARWEN WROTE HALF!! No one has guessed which one of us writes which part though, adn I'm disappointed. Quite frankly, I think it would be cool if someone got it right.

But enough of my rambling, here's Chapter 6!

* * *

**Part eleven**

Calanthia reached out and grabbed the blade, wiping it clean of mud. _She must have lost it when Durion grabbed her._ She set it down beside her and leaned against a tree, trying to put her thoughts in order. But one thought echoed in her head, causing her to cry again. _I can't do this._

Foinien kindled a fire for warmth, using wood that had been left behind. She ate slowly, thinking. _I'll stay here tonight and head back tomorrow, I do not think that she will be chasing me, she is probably too drained. I shall have to be careful around her, she is powerful. She must be eliminated. She is a threat. If I meet her again she must not get angry. I do not think that she meant for that tree to start on fire, which means she cares for nature. Something I can use to my advantage. She doesn't want to kill me, she only wants to catch me, but I think hat she would kill me if necessary. Something I should keep in mind. She has bad memories of that man who grabbed me. Something I can exploit._

Foinien thought of Calanthia's strengths and weaknesses long into the night, but never once thought about her.

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It was long after the disaster when Calanthia finally got herself under control. She stood and looked forlornly in the direction that Foinien had run. _I shall catch you. Just wait_. With that she turned into an eagle and flapped her wings tiredly, heading away from the woods, heading away from Foinien, heading away from where her memories had surfaced again.

**

* * *

Part twelve **

Now that Foinien had eaten something, she chose to rest for a while, she had a long journey to start tomorrow, she checked on the condition of her arm before she did this and saw that there was clear hand print where she had been held. Foinien stretched out the blanket and went to rest.

Calanthia flew south, the exact opposite of the direction Foinien was, normally she would have used their bond to find her, but she was not focused enough to detect it, so she flew blindly away. _When I find you Foinien, you will wish you have never been born. _She thought to herself, her anger spilling onto Foinien; she had evaded her for two long, and Calanthia's frustration was reaching its limit, she knew that she wanted to bring her in alive, in full knowledge that she may well take her own life anyway, but there were no limits on _how alive_ Foinien was required to be.

She would hand her over to Gil-Galad and the whole business would be over. She knew that the assassin was burnt, so she had an advantage.

_Soon Foinien, soon. _

* * *

Well, there it is. 

Remember, Mori wrote half! And thank you to all our reviewers, we really appreciate it!

Until next time!

Namarie, Lady Altaria


	7. Chapter 7

OK, here's chapter 7. We've written all the way through Ch 29.(I got a little behind on the updating!) Mori wrote half.No one's guessed which half yet though!

* * *

**Part thirteen**

It was far into the night when Calanthia touched the ground, changing into a panther as she did so. She was so tired she could barely see straight, she felt vulnerable, guilty, angry...but everything was overpowered by the exhaustion. Curling into a ball, with her long tail over her nose, she closed her green eyes. She fell asleep instantly.

_o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o Calanthia's Dream o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o_

She stretched her sinuous body and padded through the thick jungle undergrowth, her long tail swishing behind her. She was running, but whether she was chasing someone or being chased she did not know. As she was running she felt something pulling her in a new direction. She slowed down, sniffing the air, walking toward the thicker grove of trees where the pull originated. Suddenly, the trees ended and she was looking at a mountain, with a stream flowing through it. The pull was telling her to go in the stream. So she jumped in, changing into a fish and swimming along. Even though she was a fish and could breathe underwater, it seemed like she was running out of air. When she surfaced, she was in a cave. She swam to the edge, changing into an elf and pulling herself out of the water. There stood Foinien, her arm bandaged, her eyes glinting in the darkness. "I have been waiting for you." The assassin said darkly.

"Really? Well, I've been looking for you." Calanthia replied, trying to change into a tiger, an alligator, anything deadly. She couldn't.

"Not this time." Foinien laughed. Except it wasn't a nice laugh, warm or enjoyable. It was cruel.

"That's interesting. But I have come to realize something. I may want you alive, but it doesn't matter how alive. So, I am not afraid to hurt you anymore." Calanthia focused on her anger, trying to summon lightning.

"You should have realized that earlier. You are powerless."

"By the Valar. This isn't good." Calanthia was getting panicky, frustrated.

"You have to learn something." Foinien said. "Something where you can't use your powers as a crutch."

"What do I have to learn?" Calanthia said guardedly.  
"Something you should have learned long ago." Foinien walked up to Calanthia. "But refused too. Now you have to learn in a...different way." They were inches apart now. "I am your greatest fear, Calanthia. Are you coming with me?"

_Foinien's dream_

She was running through a thick forest, her feet making no sound on the dry leaves. Everything was silent, and she was worried. She was running, but was she chasing someone or being chased? It had been the latter more and more often of late. She was the best, but even the best make mistakes. Something seemed to pull her, draw her off of her course. The more she fought it, the harder it pulled. She was powerless against it, and she was pulled into a thick grove in the trees. When she emerged, she was standing in the middle of what could have been mistaken for a wasteland. The earth was riddled with cracks, there were puddles of cooled lava, trees were uprooted, patches of ice were melting...all but one tree, which Calanthia was leaning on, looking angry. "Mae govannen, Foinien. I have been waiting for you." She said softly.

Foinien tensed and reached to her waist where her Sai blades were sheathed. They weren't there. Discreetly she felt the places where her numerous other weapons were concealed. All gone. She felt powerless. "Foinien, Foinien. You need to learn something, something where you can not use your training, or weapons, as a crutch."

"What is it I need to learn? And who are you to tell me what to do?" Foinien asked, putting up a bold front. If she could get close enough, without getting killed, she knew numerous ways to kill someone without weapons.

"Don't even think of doing something like that, Foinien! I could burn you where you stand. Of course, I should probably bring you back unharmed." Calanthia said, seeming to read Foinien's mind. She walked closer.

"Back where?" Foinien asked, determined to stand her ground.

Calanthia ignored her question. "I am your greatest fear Foinien. Are you coming with me?"

_Calanthia _

"Where are we going? Do I have a choice?" Calanthia stammered.

"It is an unavoidable lesson. You had the choice to learn it long ago, from someone you trusted, but that time is over. We are going to your past." Foinien said, reaching out and grabbing Calanthia's hand. She was falling, falling, falling...

_Foinien__  
_"Where are we going?" Foinien asked. She was a bit afraid; her heart was pounding in her ears.

"To your past. You have issues that you avoided, haven't dealt with." Calanthia explained. "You could have resolved them long ago, but didn't for some reason." Seeing the terrified look on Foinien's face, she gave her a kindly smile. "Don't worry. I think I am going through the same thing as we speak." Calanthia grabbed Foinien's hand, something she struggled against mightily, and then she was falling, falling, falling...

**

* * *

**

**Part fourteen**

Calanthia and Foinien both landed together with a thump, they were in an arid desert, with nothing but the baking sun to keep them company.

The two enemies looked around at their surroundings, avoiding each other, so not to make eye contact. The sands whipped up in the wind, causing them both to shield their eyes from the hard grains.

As the miniature sand storm died down, Calanthia looked up, vaguely making out two figures making their way over to the two. Calanthia was then surprised to recognize them, there were three people; one of the adults carrying a small child.

They were her family.

The elves approached Calanthia without speaking, then stopped, remaining silent...

Foinien regarded them apprehensively, _are they dangerous? They don't look dangerous._ She thought to herself. "Nana? Ada?" Calanthia questioned, she looked as though she could hardly believe her eyes. _So the Storm Maiden's parents are here? But wait, are they not dead? What is this place?_ She thought with a shudder.

Just as she was trying to understand what exactly was going on here, Foinien noticed that there were more elves approaching, a man and a woman. They looked vaguely familiar to her, but she couldn't think why. "Who _are_ you?" She asked them when they stopped in front of her.

All four of the mysterious elves answered as one.

"We are the past." They said simply.

They all looked sad; the two in front of Foinien especially; the woman began to cry silently.

"Why do you weep?" Foinien asked her.

"Because you do not recognize your own parents, little Foinien."

Foinien took a step backwards from them, even Calanthia turned around to see this.

* * *

Many thanks to all of our reviewers! Until next time, then. 


	8. Chapter 8

Hello!  
Once again, Moriarwen wrote half. Can anyone guess which?

* * *

**Part fifteen**

Calanthia's mother handed her her baby sister, who giggled and smiled happily. A tear came to Calanthia's eyes as she looked down on the baby, the baby who had died because of her. After a moment she looked back up at Foinien, her heart going out to the assassin who had never known her parents.

Foinien couldn't have been more shocked when the elfess in front of her had said that she was her mother. "How?" She asked dumbfounded. "Are you really?"

The elfess chocked back a sob and buried her face in her husband's shoulder. He looked up at Foinien with keen brown eyes. Eyes that were just like her own. "We are, really. As for how..." He gave Foinien a half smile. "I never did get to tell you about the birds and the bees did I?"

Her mother laughed weakly, turning around and drying her eyes. "My little Foinien. I remember when you were a baby, you were so wonderful. You were loving and kind, and you loved our pet dog. You wouldn't sleep unless that dog was in the room. Sometimes you would fall asleep on the floor with him, and you would curl up together...you were so wonderful. I couldn't wait to see you grow up. But I never did. Ai Elbereth, Foinien. We loved you so much." A tear came to her mother's eyes.

Calanthia had looked down at her sister again, wanting to give Foinien and her family some privacy. "Eleniel." She whispered. Her sister perked up at the sound of her name. "Did she have powers? I remember you were going to have her tested...that day." She asked her parents, fighting not to cry.

"Oh, Calanthia. Don't blame your self-" her mother started, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Tell me! Did she have powers?"

Her father sighed. "Yes, Calanthia. She seemed to have the ability to talk to animals, and shape-shift as you do."

"That explains why small animals were always around the house." Calanthia whispered. "Oh Eleniel, I'm so sorry. You never knew the feeling of using your powers. I took it away from you. I'm so sorry." Calanthia handed Eleniel to her mother, sobbing quietly. "I'm sorry. I never should have gotten angry, I shouldn't have started that earthquake, I'm so sorry."

"It isn't your fault, Calanthia, you must stop blaming yourself!" her father exclaimed, pulling his daughter into his arms for a strong hug.

"It is my fault! Ada, I made that earthquake, no one else!"

"Calanthia! You forgive others so easily, why can you not forgive yourself? It is not your fault!"

"Then whose fault is it?" Calanthia screamed, jerking out of her father's arms.

He didn't have an answer.

"It is Durion's fault." Her mother answered for him. "He shouldn't have made you so angry. He had been stalking you for weeks, Calanthia!"

"I should have been able to control myself! And if I couldn't control myself then I should have died with you!"

Foinien had stared at her parents, unable to grasp the concept that they had walked out of the past and into her life after so many years. She didn't even remember them, but when she looked closely, she could see that she looked like them. Her mother's face looked the same; she had her father's brown eyes. She was tall and willowy, graceful like her mother, she held herself like royalty, much like her father...the difference was that she was deadly, dangerous, an assassin. And, for the most part, unfeeling. She couldn't picture herself as a sweet little toddler, playing with a large, hairy dog, laughing and enjoying every moment of life. She saw Calanthia crying and heard her yell "I should have died with you!"

_So her parents are dead then. But how? And why should she be dead as well?_

"Foinien." Her father called her attention back to them softly. "When you were taken from us, your mother faded from grief. I died not much later. It was welcome. Not all people wish to live. If you wish to know why, ask her."

* * *

**Part sixteen**

At her fathers last words, Foinien felt herself falling again, she didn't want to leave; she wanted to stay with her parents, the parents she had no memory of.

Foinien knew how the Morqua Maica recruited members, by stealing them from selected families, in one of her earlier missions; Foinien had stolen a pre-chosen infant, a young elleth named Tirian. The connection had never been made in her mind that Foinien had indeed been stolen herself, now that it was, she had begun to wonder.

Last Foinien heard of Tirian was that she had been captured on a botched mission; like all the others, Tirian had dutifully taken her own life.

She saw her family disappear in a whirl of colors as she continued to fall. Finally, she landed with a thud on the cave floor. Foinien opened her eyes and found herself in the exact same position that she was in when she was asleep.

_No, it could not have all been a dream; could it?_

She thought to herself. Unnerved by her experience, Foinien decided that it was time to move on; it was time to go home.

Calanthia had returned when Foinien did, it seemed that the bond caused them to move together.

Just like Foinien, Calanthia had thought it a dream, a rather disturbing, revelatory, vivid dream, but a dream all the same.

She gathered herself together and set about finding her prey, she felt somehow revitalized, and could feel the bond stronger than she ever had.

She had a much clearer sense of Foinien's presence, and knew where to go, transforming into her eagle form yet again, Calanthia flew north.

Taking the long route through the underground matrix, that she had been through so many times before, she broke into a swift run. Foinien felt unsettled and wanted to burn of some of the excess energy.

_We are the past_

Her mind started to flashback to the dream

_You do not recognize your own parents_

The memories troubled her, she ran faster, trying to shake them off.

_When you were taken from us, your mother faded from grief._

As Foinien ran faster and faster, tears started to run down her face. She felt ashamed, the Morqua Maica do not have emotions! _Pain is for the weak!_

_I died not much later. It was welcome. Not all people wish to live. _

Remembering her father's words, Foinien felt more and more distressed, the pain that the Morqua Maica had caused, Foinien had never thought about. It was not for her to do. All she existed for was to follow orders. She was brought up told that emotion is for the weak.

_If you wish to know why, ask her._

His last words rung clear in her mind. _Ask the Storm Maiden?_ Foinien thought in anguish.

She could see light ahead, she was nearing the way out, Foinien had run a long way.

Calanthia spotted the tiny entrance to the caves far ahead, she swooped down and eerily, she felt as though she should wait. The elleth morphed into her original form and waited, sword drawn, ready to fight.

Foinien sprinted to the hole, crawled out with cat like skills, got to her feet, and then stopped dead.

There, in broad daylight, was Calanthia.

Foinien looked directly at her; they held eye contact for sometime, neither moving.

The elleth knew what she was supposed to do in this situation, but now she was not sure. Foinien had lost her will to kill; she looked at her enemy, doubt written all over her face.

Calanthia shared the same feeling, knowing that she should fight her, like Foinien; she didn't want too.

They acknowledged each other with a nod of their heads; Foinien took off and Calanthia did nothing to stop her.

Moments after this happened, Calanthia was shocked at herself, she had been face to face with her and done nothing; she had let her prey get away, it was odd because deep down, Calanthia knew that this was right.

She stood, sword hanging limply at her side, thinking about what had just been; when Calanthia heard the sounds of a scuffle. Renewing her grip on her sword, Calanthia ran to the noise.

Moving away from the clearing where Calanthia stood, Foinien hadn't been concentrating on her surroundings, her mind was elsewhere.

As a consequence, she didn't notice the elf following her. It was too late when she saw him.

As she stepped into an open area, Foinien was confronted by Nihath, friend of Durion.

He ran towards her, she ran to him, having to fight him in self defense. Foinien turned 90 degrees on her heal when she was close enough to kick him high, unfortunately for Foinien, he saw this coming. Catching her leg as she threw the kick, he yanked it up, toppling the she-elf.

Before she had the chance to gather her senses, Nihath had lain on top of her, in a manner that would have been deemed extremely inappropriate in other circumstances, pinning her down with his weight.

Using one hand to hold her arms together, Nihath retrieved a length of rope from on his person and used it to bind her hands together.

Still holding her arms down with one hand, he rose, straddling her waist, being tall enough he could manage this, increasing how inappropriate it looked pinning her down in this fashion. Foinien kept struggling, she couldn't escape him and she writhed in his grip all the more.

Nihath had had enough, _if_ _she struggles like this then how am I supposed to move her_?

Calanthia found them at this moment, Nihath straddling Foinien's waist and her struggling under his grasp; she just stepped into the clearing to see Nihath strike her, rendering her unconscious.

"Nihath! NO!" She shouted, recognizing him. "What are you doing to her!" She wasn't quite sure what she was seeing,

"I caught her; she wouldn't stop struggling so I had to! It was the only way I could bind her!" He said, justifying his actions.

"Foinien?" Calanthia said quietly to the unconscious elleth.

* * *

Yay! New Character!

Namarie,  
Lady Altaria


End file.
